OT: Direct Debit (Pipex issues)
OT: Direct Debit (Pipex issues)
Author
Discussion

AMCDan

Original Poster:

2,855 posts

239 months

Thursday 7th June 2007
quotequote all
Anyone else having issues with Pipex?

They don't seem to want to take my Direct Debits. They haven't taken any in over a year. then in December they decided to take them all at once (5 days before Christmas, cheers). So i called to find out what the hell was going on. "Sorry, new system fault, it's all sorted now".

So then i get a leter in April saying, yeah, about that, we've not really sorted it, so we're going to take Jan Feb March and April "on or around" the 2nd of May.

Well it's now the 7th June and they'ce still not taken it.

It's really beginning to wear thin, i've not checked, but i'd imagine that the 12 month subscription price is less than the 12 monthly direct debit price - and i chose to do it that way for a reason. So what are my rights? This is a pain in the arse.

esselte

14,626 posts

298 months

Thursday 7th June 2007
quotequote all
Did you not notice that Jan,Feb March and April's DDs weren't on your statement?

AMCDan

Original Poster:

2,855 posts

239 months

Thursday 7th June 2007
quotequote all
i actually still haven't checked. The payment comes out near the end of the month just before pay day so i've all but written the money out of my thoughts anyway!

Ean218

2,046 posts

281 months

Friday 8th June 2007
quotequote all
Yet another reason not to sign a Direct Debit mandate on your bank account.

I refuse to give anyone else control over my money. If they want some, they can ask nicely.

Mr2Mike

20,143 posts

286 months

Friday 8th June 2007
quotequote all
The Direct Debit guarantee:

Under the rules of the Direct Debit Scheme, should any money be taken in error, then the customer's bank or building society must, on request, make an immediate refund to the customer's account. This is the Direct Debit Guarantee. This covers situations where the originator has not given the required advance notice regarding a change of amount or date. It also protects customers should an incorrect amount be debited or if a debit occurs earlier than the specified, agreed date, or in error.

Time to speak to your bank I think.

Edited by Mr2Mike on Friday 8th June 14:28

philbes

4,893 posts

265 months

Friday 8th June 2007
quotequote all
We use Pipex for hosted servers at work. Trying to cancel the contract has been a nightmare. Pipex insist it is done by phone but I can never get through. I emailed and they took 3 weeks to reply asking for a fax for cancellation. Pipex fax didn't answer in 24 attempts so I posted form.

The result was they took another month's payment from our credit card. Now trying to get a refund. At least they answered my last email within 3 days!

philbes

4,893 posts

265 months

Friday 8th June 2007
quotequote all
Wow. Pipex have just replied to my latest email in under 5 minutes, confirmed the contract is cancelled and promised a refund of our last payment. Great, but I would have preferred it if they had handled things correctly in the first place.

esselte

14,626 posts

298 months

Friday 8th June 2007
quotequote all
philbes said:
Wow. Pipex have just replied to my latest email in under 5 minutes, confirmed the contract is cancelled and promised a refund of our last payment. Great, but I would have preferred it if they had handled things correctly in the first place.
Maybe someone from Pipex has read your previous post...smile

sleep envy

62,260 posts

280 months

Friday 8th June 2007
quotequote all
Pipex - shysters of the highest order only beaten by Voda

BertBert

21,309 posts

242 months

Friday 8th June 2007
quotequote all
Mr2Mike said:
The Direct Debit guarantee:

[b]
Under the rules of the Direct Debit Scheme, should any money be taken in error, then the customer's bank or building society must, on request, make an immediate refund to the customer's account. This is the Direct Debit Guarantee. This covers situations where the originator has not given the required advance notice regarding a change of amount or date. It also protects customers should an incorrect amount be debited or if a debit occurs earlier than the specified, agreed date, or in error.[/b]

Time to speak to your bank I think.
The question is whether late and "in a bunch" constitutes in error. One could argue that anything other than taking the specific amount on the date specified is an error and they need to refund. You would still end up owing them the money though.

Bert

el_f*ckwit

10 posts

233 months

Friday 8th June 2007
quotequote all
Changed my Pipex package from a web only to a phone and web with an increase in price from £14.99 to £20 whatever. They managed to take the new sum for a couple of months and have now reverted to taking £14.99. I need to get in touch with them and sort it out, but to be honest, gathering up the energy to do it seems to be beyond me at the moment rolleyes

AMCDan

Original Poster:

2,855 posts

239 months

Friday 8th June 2007
quotequote all
yeah bert, that's exactly what i was thinking. The money is obviously owed, it's the way they get it that gets on my baps somewhat.

aw51 121565

4,773 posts

264 months

Saturday 9th June 2007
quotequote all
Mr2Mike said:
The Direct Debit guarantee:

Under the rules of the Direct Debit Scheme, should any money be taken in error, then the customer's bank or building society must, on request, make an immediate refund to the customer's account. This is the Direct Debit Guarantee. This covers situations where the originator has not given the required advance notice regarding a change of amount or date. It also protects customers should an incorrect amount be debited or if a debit occurs earlier than the specified, agreed date, or in error.

Time to speak to your bank I think.

Edited by Mr2Mike on Friday 8th June 14:28
I was a tenant of a local housing association until April 2nd this year... They f*cked up and took a full month's payment (£259.31) on April 1st (it is policy to allow for 2 weeks in arrears and 2 weeks in credit on a rent account - the balance ebbs and flows, obviously, depending on whether it's a 'long' or 'short' month and how my Direct Debit payment fits in) when I apparently owed around £55 to clear my account.

The "Direct Debit Guarantee" works - my bank refunded the full amount (£259.31) of the erroneous payment, in mid-April, within 48 hours - no questions asked.

Meanwhile, the housing association continue to f*ck up on their commplaints procedure - and don't seem to recognise I owe then the £55 biggrin . I see that as reasonable compensation - after all, their sheer ineptitude led me to become overdrawn (I have an overdraft facility fortunately...).